Mushroom compost, peat moss, good straw, any of those do very well indeed.

Any tips on how to spread the compost besides spreading by hand? Thanks.

Not really, no--I don't use compost. When I did my peat moss, by-hand was the only way to manage it. It won't go through a spreader fast enough or well enough for that to be an option.

Unless you've got seed on a steep grade you don't really *have* to use anything as a mulch. I've gone both routes and haven't noticed any difference in germination time or growth.

You can use Pennmulch if you want, but it's really not necessary unless you're on a slope.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pennmulch

The pennmulch sounds like it would do a great job but kind of on the expensive side at ~$25 for for a 50 lb bag which covers ~800 ft (not sure if this info is totally accurate).

I take it the point of mulch is to hold in moisture while easy allowing the grass to grow through it?

Would mushroom compost do this any better than soil? If so then I like this option since it add nutrients. If not, then maybe I just rake lightly and water often.

I would use peat moss but I heard it blows away easily too since its so light?

Sounds like mulch isn't absolutely necessary so maybe I can get by with watering often.

Thanks for advice everyone!

Mulch is not necessary if you roll the seed into the soil with a water fillable roller. Then water it daily, 3 times per day, for 10 minutes each time, for 2 weeks for fescue and 6 weeks for Kentucky bluegrass.

In my opinion mulch does more to prevent germination by shading the seed.

I'm starting to get a little P.O.'d that my replies keep getting toasted...had a nice long reply to this thread several days ago and I come back and notice it's not here. This'll be like the fourth or fifth time that's happened to me in the last two weeks.

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I like and recommend peat moss. Mushroom compost is too expensive and doesn't serve any "additional" benefit that the grass will be able to leverage.

All of your experiences with straw are the same reasons why I've hated to use it. Although, if you go through the trouble to cut your straw up into 3-4" segments, it'll work just fine but I don't know anyone that would go to that level of trouble - not when peat moss is so cheap.

The nice thing about peat moss is that while it's incredibly hydrophobic the first time you water it after you get past that first, initial watering in it will retain moisture like no other mulch can. It will also tell you in plain, easy to see signs when and where it needs more water. Wet peat moss looks like wet coffee grounds and dry peat moss looks like dry cocoa powder. How easy is that?!?!

Also, contrary to popular believe, once you've gotten it thoroughly watered in that first time it will not blow away in the wind if it gets dry. It'll stay in it kind of "mat" that only a good torrential downpour could wash away, but then again anything else you laid down would wash away too so it's not an inherent fault of peat-moss really.

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Two other things...

The device you were looking for is sometimes called a "compost roller" / "topdressing spreader" and they're only carried online and cost about $100-120 each plus shipping. I need to spring for one myself soon for future top dressing applications but damn what a PITA it'd be to store it. Some googling will produce images/retailers.

Also, when dchall recommends a water-filled roller, I'm sure he meant to include that there should only be a couple gallons of water. Just enough that it's light enough for a man to lift it but not much lighter than that. Typically this is about 1/3rd full but obviously that depends on the capacity of your roller's drum.

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Cannot stress how hydrophobic peat moss is that first time. I've heard/read a lot of stories where people didn't water in their seed enough because they didn't realize that their 1/4" thick layer of peat moss could take over an hour of watering and still not be soaked all the way through...

Here's what my peat moss mulch based KBG renovation looked like after three weeks. I just think it's so much cleaner than straw... :shrug:
{{gwi:95924}}

I'm with Dchall, as usual, and arjo gives some excellent advise in my opinion.

I used peat moss one time when about a 10x15 "patch" I re-seeded started getting attacked by voracious birds. I hadn't used a roller because it was kinda small. So I put peat moss down and got rid of the bird problem. Came in good.

I used a little last fall where I added some seed by hand in small areas that were a little weak after I slit seeded. Again, seemed to help with birds and germination.

Sounds like if I water 3 times a day I don't necessarily need to mulch. However adding a thin layer (just enough to cover, no more than 1/4") of peat moss would help . Since some people don't think mulching is a good idea, I want to make sure I don't overdue it.

Luckily I have an irrigation system for the watering.

Arjo - Your lawn looks great. Thanks for all the info.

Anyone have advice on where to get a topdressing spreader? I saw it only for $130 plus shipping. How late after seeding can I still use the spreader to mulch? I was hoping to seed in the next couple days.

Thanks everyone for the great advice and taking the time to post!

$25 for a 50lb bag? That's a lot!! Paid $14.50 for that same 50lb bag.

I didn't use a compost spreader for my 2000 sq. ft. project. I didn't have time and I couldn't justify the expense at the time. I just cut/chopped up the compressed bales of peat moss and spread them out with a landscapers rake (the big 30+" aluminum type) as evenly as possible.

I did this the morning after I laid the seed - as I waited to spray the tupersan at 11:00pm when the wind finally died down and there wouldn't be many/any roaming pets that would get killed by the overspray.

2000 sq. ft. needed about 9-10 of the large 3.8 cu. ft. bales of peat moss. Buy more than you need, if you don't use it all, save it as top dressing for the winter.